COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Given the choice, 74% of us could happily live without the ability to cook food for a week. But nearly 50% of us could not live without our computer and internet connection. This is according to research conducted by Yahoo!, carried out to celebrate a decade of evolving communication technology and to coincide with their 10th anniversary.The research shows that over the past 10 years our perception of what we consider a 'life essential' has drastically changed. This communication evolution has meant a shift in basic needs. Our control of communication via technology and the ability to connect in 'real time' with friends, family and colleagues are now key daily priorities. We no longer see technology as just gadgetry; it's a critical, essential extension of our daily lives.

The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative. It lets people be productive. It lets people learn things they didn't think they could learn before, and so in a sense it is all about potential.Steve Ballmer - Technology - Learning - Innovation - Solutions


Brits choose to keep their PC over their cooker, TV and even over their mobile* We're happy to live on take-away, but we're not too pleased at the prospect of having the computer taken away! Yahoo! asked respondents what they would sacrifice for a week. 72% were willing to do without the TV and 74% without the cooker. 67% said that they would give up the fridge. Surprisingly, almost 60% would also give up their mobile phone. However, when it comes to the PC, only half (51%) are willing to make that sacrifice. Being constantly connected has become one of the most important parts of our daily life.


It is our need for 'real time' communication that has made the computer more of an essential tool than the cooker. In 1995, only 5% of respondents of the recent survey used SMS text services and 8% used email. Today, over 55% use both text messaging (59%) and email (56%). The most instantaneous form of online communication - instant messaging is used by 69% of respondents compared to only 2% 10 years ago. By comparison, regular use of the post has gone down from 38% in 1995 to 31% in 2005.The 'communication evolution' means that Britons are in touch and in control.


In a busy world, the evolution of communication technology allows people to stay in touch and have more control over daily lives. 75% of respondents said that developments in communication technology made them feel in touch and 42% said it made them feel in control. Our friendships are stronger, with more of us logging on to keep in touch. It's no surprise that we feel the need to check emails all the time when so much of our communication is happening online. When Yahoo! started 10 years ago, only 1% used the online medium as their main way to communicate with friends.


Today, 99% of us communicate with friends online and 56% use email or instant messaging services as the main way to keep in touch with our friends. Forget upgrading the furniture - the PC comes first. Give us some spare cash and the chances are we will spend it on a new scanner or printer, rather than furniture. 73% of computer users have spent money on new accessories or gadgets for their PCs over the past twelve months, and almost 58% have upgraded or bought a new computer. However, when it comes to everyday household items, only 43% have 'upgraded' an item of living room furniture and only 31% have brought new kitchen equipment.


The internet has become our life engine. The internet has turned into an essential life tool that we use to find everything from holidays to cars. Only five years ago, less than 31% of us searched online for holidays, 28% for cars, 30% for financial information, 38% for jobs and 26% for property. Today, these figures have doubled; 69% for holidays, 72% for cars, 70% for financial information, 63% for jobs and 74% for property.According to Simon Hinde, Editor-in-Chief at Yahoo!: "1995 was the era of Chris Evans, Oasis v Blur, Take That and The Word - and we've covered it all*. However, the changes since Yahoo! first started haven't only been cultural. Today computer ownership is almost ubiquitous and internet uses an intrinsic part of everyday life." Simon added, "As our research shows, people don't feel that they are part of the wider world unless they have the ability to communicate and access information in real time. This is reflected in the fact that we are now the first port of call for millions of Britons who want to do everything from registering for a free email address to checking the latest share prices online."To mark its 10 year anniversary, Yahoo! has created a connectivity calculator at yahoo.co.uk/reconnected. With the calculator people can find out whether they are still stuck in the age of the brick phone and slow download speeds of 1995 or whether they have embraced the new technology and instantaneous communication of today.

MOST POPULAR DIGITAL DEVICES
PC - 85%
WAP-enabled mobile phone - 57%
Games console - 53%
MP3 player (not iPod) - 48%
Laptop - 47%
3G-enabled mobile phone - 30%
iPod - 20%
High Definition TV - 15%
PDA - 13%


QUICK GUIDE TO TECH TERMS
VOD - video-on-demand
Wikis - Collaborative technology for editing websites
IPTV - internet protocol television
RSS - Really Simple Syndication alias automated news feeds
PVR - personal video recorder
Web 2.0 - user-generated content phase of internet
Triple-play - internet, TV and phone in one subscription
VoIP - voice over internet protocol
IM - instant messaging
Blogging - frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts on the web
Podcasting - internet broadcasting for playback on MP3 players

Multiple Input/Multiple Output (MIMO) is an area of intense development in the Wireless industry because it delivers profound gains in range, throughput and Reliability. As a result, manufacturers of wireless local area network (WLAN), wireless Metropolitan area network (WMAN), and mobile phone equipment are embracing MIMO technology.

Misuse of “MIMO” is a disservice to consumers facing an urgent problem: wireless LAN products based on existing Wi-Fi standards don’t always have sufficient range to cover entire homes. Wireless LAN products incorporating genuine MIMO technology often solve this problem, while products claiming “MIMO” based on the use of multiple antennas or channels may not.

The proposed IEEE 802.11n standard strives to draft technical specifications for the next generation of high throughput WLAN technology. Supporters of the two leading 802.11n proposals—firms such as Broadcom, Intel, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments—are promoting genuine MIMO solutions. Vendors delivering genuine MIMO wireless LAN products today include Airgo Networks, Belkin, Linksys, and SOHOware. Samsung has announced a MIMO-based wireless LAN. Orthogon Systems has field-tested a MIMO-based wireless MAN.

http://www.prompt-communications.com/blog/2006/08/old-jokes-new-tricks.html

References:
From Theory to Practice: An Overview of MIMO Space-Time Coded Wireless Systems Gesbert et al. IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communication, vol. 21, No 3, April 2003, pp. 281-302